WHEN BLOOD CALLS by J. K. Beck

A Shadow Keepers book #1
Publisher: Random House
Date published: August 2010
ISBN: 9780440245773
Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance/Vampires/Werewolves
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Dawn
Obtained by Publisher


Sara Constantine is over the moon when she gets a promotion to the mysterious Division 6. What she finds there is that vampires, werewolves and other things that go bump in the dark are not fairy tales but are actually real. Now her first case is against the man who gave her one night of exquisite passion-Lucius, who is also a vampire. Now Sara has to work with Luke to get to the bottom of his murder charge because if he doesn’t get free, war will break out and many more people-human and supernatural-will die. Can Luke show Sara he isn’t the monster she thinks he is?

I loved WHEN BLOOD CALLS. It was dark, edgy and sexy. It had everything I enjoy in an urban fantasy book. Tight writing, wonderful world building, intriguing characters and a few twists that had me gasping in disbelief. Ms. Beck delivers one wild ride after another in this introduction to her Shadow Keepers series. Ms. Beck is a new to me author and one I fell in love with after being sucked into the pages of WHEN BLOOD CALLS.

Meet Sara Constantine, a hard-nosed, dedicated prosecutor who is promoted to the mysterious Division 6; a place where crimes of the supernatural kind are prosecuted and justice is meted out. Thrown in an important case the first day of her new job, Sara is shocked to discover that the man she is prosecuting is the same one she spent one night of unbridled passion with. Lucius is an old vampire with many enemies and a mysterious life. Sara calms his daemon even as he metes out justice to humans and supernaturals alike. These two were perfect for each other. Lucius was a big, bad alpha vampire, a man who never thought to have someone love him again until he met Sara that is. She calmed his daemon, something he hadn’t experienced before. Both have secrets, a past that intertwines and a mystery to solve because time is running out for Lucius for if Sara cannot get proof that he is not a murderer then Lucius is gone-for good. There are some really interesting secondary characters in this first book, ones I would love to know more about. The characters are very multi-dimensional and life like. They step right off the pages and feel like they are right next to you.

WHEN BLOOD CALLS is an exciting addition to the urban fantasy/paranormal romance genre and Ms. Beck definitely delivers a story that will keep you flipping the pages just to see what happens next for Luke and Sara. I am eager to read the next book in the series and have added JK Beck to my auto buy list. If you haven’t read WHEN BLOOD CALLS, then I highly suggest you race to grab it at the local bookstore. It is one I will definitely read again. J. K. Beck is one welcome addition into the urban fantasy/paranormal genre and one I plan to keep an eye on in the future.

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.

WHEN BLOOD CALLS by J.K. Beck

Shadow Keepers Series (Book 1)
Publisher: Bantam
Date Published: August 2010
ISBN: 978-0440245773
Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Lil
Obtained via Author


Sara Constantine’s talent and success as a prosecuting attorney has brought her to the attention of the powers that be in Division 6. They know all about her but Sara and everyone who is not a member knows very little about this division. She is offered a fantastic and fantastical promotion for which she is thrilled and somewhat daunted. Her eyes are opened to the world of Shadow creatures, beings like vampires, demons, and weres. Then she discovers that it puts her diametrically opposed to Lucius Dragos.

They had met by a whimsy of fate just a few days ago and shared a phenomenal night of passion and connection. In such a short time, he had touched her heart as surely as he had held her in his arms.

Now, Sara is bound by her new position to bring the full force of the law upon Luke and the penalty for that which he has been accused is death.

Luke is a dark, edgy hero who nonetheless, holds honor in high regard. He is imperfect, ruthless with regard to those he disdains but oh so vulnerable and selfless to those he loves. Even amongst his own in the vampire world he is respected and feared. One quickly feels drawn to such a strong romantic figure and one could easily imagine the headiness of being the focus of his attention.

The heroine holds her own although hers are different strengths. She is smart, tenacious, and less ethically flexible than many characters we stumble upon in urban fantasy stories. It is fun to watch as she tries to adjust to her awareness of others.

Ms Beck has gifted readers with a fascinating story where our world and the preternatural one manage to be blended together seamlessly. Introduction to the politics of these new to us societies is complex and imaginative. Motivations for characters and groups of beings are described in such a way that one does not tend to question the reality of what unfolds from the pages of the book. Oh, and one should also mention the sizzling romance. It is that gripping of a read.

Looking for a darker romance to sink your teeth into? WHEN BLOOD CALLS, why don’t you answer?

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of the book.